International travel and Covid 19

[ShoesAndSocks]

Pfizer CEO reckons things will be back to "near-normal" within the next few months.

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/coron...fizer-ceo-says

Do we dare believe him and start making travel plans?

[Quagmire1974]

Sorry for not posting in this forum for almost a month!

Money a little tight? Consider a cheaper vacation for 2022:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/12-ch...204724322.html

The benefits of traveling in "shoulder season:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/5-reasons...095523942.html

Denmark dropping restrictions:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/denmark-l...121227267.html

Ireland dropping restrictions:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ireland-s...100213192.html

The conflict between certain airlines and 5 G:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airli...231115643.html

When will tourism truly return to normal?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/world-tou...190427662.html

Tired of Covid tests? Travel to these locations:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/37-c...085520135.html

Travel insurance soon needed for Belize:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/beli...193937275.html

On a personal note, I'm getting plans together for travel in April and June (details forthcoming in the future). Here's hoping many of you are already on the road and enjoying your mongering adventures (and misadventures).

[Quagmire1974]

Booming tourism in the Dominican Republic:

https://news.yahoo.com/tourists-floc...140000948.html

Morocco tourism at a standstill:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/moroccos-...110716266.html

On a personal note, Happy New Year to all, especially those of you who regularly feed ISG with trip reports, pictures, and funny on-the-road stories. Stay safe, sane, and healthy, and may your mongering adventures in 2022 greatly surpass those of 2021.

[Quagmire1974]

How are European Union nations adjusting for the Covid omicron variant?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/eu-countr...100119578.html

How can you keep more of your money in your pocket as you travel in 2022?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-m...230103296.html

Planning on visiting Istanbul? Eat this!

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/12-a...054603246.html

Updated entry requirements for nations around the world:

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/reope...7PNHiZMJNznPOc

[Quagmire1974]

How is the Covid Omicron variant affecting restrictions in Europe?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/europe-ti...170816464.html

Anger in South Korea:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/south-kor...113314145.html

Nearly eight dozen countries at "Very High" Covid risk per CDC:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cdc-says-...174313802.html

Your United States passport will cost more:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/pass...201907430.html

[Quagmire1974]

Get ready to pay another fee and fill out more paperwork:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-tra...000312721.html

Booming tourism in Dubai:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tourists-...125720139.html

Americans gun-shy about traveling right now:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-travele...120502286.html

Covid situation still favorable in Mexico:

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cor...stoplight-map/

[Quagmire1974]

Covid situation massively improved in Mexico:

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cor...covid-roundup/

Covid situation rapidly deteriorating in Europe:

https://www.technologyreview.com/202...-vaccinations/

Cambodia improves requirements for vaccinated tourists:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...ivals-cambodia

Myanmar (Burma) looks to reopen:

https://www.ttgasia.com/2021/11/17/m...in-early-2022/

On a personal note, I'm back from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany, and am hoping to have trip reports for Geneva, Zurich, and Berlin posted here on ISG in those forums very soon. It was nice to see people enjoying themselves at museums and restaurants in the aforementioned countries. If it wasn't for all of the facemasks and having to show my CDC Covid vax card and passport to get into restaurants and museums, you'd think nothing was going on, Covid-wise. But that was before Covid started roaring back in Europe, as discussed in one of the links above.

[Quagmire1974]

Just writing to let you all know that I won't be posting in this forum again until probably November, as I'll be traveling in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany for much of October.

Thanks to all of you who have expressed appreciation for the many links that I've posted in this forum. Hopefully, I've helped at least one of you with the information that I've passed along.

Stay safe and stay healthy. Happy mongering to all of you as we close out 2021 and roll into 2022. Please look for my Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany reports in the appropriate forums in November.

[Quagmire1974]

Vietnam opens an island for tourism:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/vietnam-r...044145708.html

Portions of Thailand to be reopened:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/thailand-...112131855.html

Unvaccinated Americans not welcome in France:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/frances-t...141951788.html

United Kingdom Prime Minister gives middle finger to more lockdowns:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-more-n...171918976.html

Steady vaccination progress in Japan:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/japan-pas...055345522.html

American? These 7 European nations just made it harder to visit:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/going-eur...173355112.html

Which airlines will not let you wear a cloth facemask on board?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/more-inte...125500276.html

Travel to United Kingdom just got easier for Americans:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/travel-uk...181027847.html

Vaccine passports coming to the Netherlands:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/dutch-int...054411104.html

Switzerland tightens entry restrictions:

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzer...llers/46956108

Full details regarding Switzerland COVID certificate for bars, museums, and restaurants:

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...ning-and-when/

Latest COVID "stoplight map" for Mexico:

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cor...n-softer-hues/

On a personal note, apologies for not posting for over a week. Work got hectic and I was busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.

[Quagmire1974]

Updated country COVID entry requirements:

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/reope...irus-recovery/

Will Qantas allow you on board if you're not vaccinated?

https://thepointsguy.com/news/qantas...ted-travelers/

Exciting new travel option for Vietnam:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/vietnames...181249228.html

Canada adjusts requirements for entry:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...ional-visitors

More information regarding entry into Canada:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...ling-to-canada

[Quagmire1974]

Going on a cruise? Here's some news:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/cdc-...170557632.html

Which countries in Europe recently followed European Union suggestion?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/spain-den...202022776.html

Conditions improving in Sweden:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sweden-re...134931175.html

Mixed messages from the Philippines:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/philippin...123655743.html

Cuba aims to open in mid-November:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cuba-reop...182437724.html

[Quagmire1974]

COVID situation improving in Mexico:

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cor...m-risk-yellow/

COVID testing proving challenging for Americans:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/two-state...192059570.html

Denmark tightens restrictions on certain Americans:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/denmark-b...185735462.html

Spain adjusts entry requirements for Americans:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/spain-entry-requirements/

[Quagmire1974]

Cayman Islands looks to reopen in mid-October:

https://www.caymancompass.com/2021/0...urn-to-cayman/

Switzerland holds off on tighter restrictions for now:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...se-2021-09-01/

Vietnam's HCMC aims to reopen in mid-September:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/living-co...053545630.html

Netherlands implements quarantine for all arriving Americans:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/article...-for-americans

Delta variant complicating tourism for Caribbean counties:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/caribbean...101026588.html

[Quagmire1974]

Caribbean and Latin America winners of American Airlines expanded service:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/americ...ute-expansion/

Fiji aims for November opening for tourism:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/fiji-r...avel-november/

European Union gives "thumbs down" to United States:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/eu-rec...ion-on-travel/

Ireland dropping COVID restrictions in late October:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ireland-d...204743938.html

COVID situation improving in Indonesia:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/indonesia...142101203.html

Italy toughens entry procedures for Americans:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/italy-tig...184537899.html

Will you get your COVID booster shot at Walmart?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/walmart-s...213258386.html

Your COVID vaccine is only good for 270 days in these two countries:

https://www.travelandleisure.com/tra..._xnTHe2Gf5oVkk

Bulgaria bans all Americans from entry:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/following...174300082.html

COVID situation improving in Mexico:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mexico-se...184811523.html

New COVID variant, Mu, now in 39 countries:

https://www.barrons.com/articles/who...?siteid=yhoof2

Spain tourism improving, but still lower than normal:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tourists-...160359565.html

COVID situation improving in Thailand:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/restauran...094332498.html

Portugal eases entry procedures for Britons:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/portugal-...173623009.html

Common-sense COVID approach from Australia:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/covid-19-...001633556.html

[Quagmire1974]

Safety Wing is one of them. Using them for my upcoming trip.

For my trip to Monterrey (Mexico) in November 2020 (read my report in that forum), I wasn't yet vaxxed for COVID and the city was a COVID hotspot. I chose GeoBlue:

https://www.geo-blue.com/

I think the policy was about $27 USD and covered illness due to COVID. When I returned to Monterrey in May 2021 (read my report in that forum) I was fully vaxxed and didn't buy a policy.

Since I'm not due for a COVID booster shot until December 2021 (per the CDC 8-month rule), I probably won't buy a policy for Switzerland or Berlin. But, I might change my mind, too, we'll see.